War in AAP- Aam Aadmi Party sacked founder members Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan from National Executive

New Delhi: After expulsion of Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav from its National Executive, AAP on Saturday sent out a warning to its other dissidents when its National Council gave full powers to the Political Affairs Committee to take disciplinary action against any member who issues statements to the media to tarnish the party’s image.

“The National Council has authorised the PAC to take disciplinary action against any member who, without authorisation, issues media statement against party line and decisions in a bid to tarnish the party’s image,” the party said in a statement. Party sources said now that Bhushan-Yadav duo are neither a member of PAC or NE, it would be easy to take action against them and “expel” them from the party if they give statements that could tarnish the image of the party. The party also announced that it would hold a dharna- gherao of Parliament in April in protest against the land acquisition bill. “In a resolution passed by the party, the National Council decided that the party would organise a protest against the Land Acquisition Ordinance outside Parliament on April 22,” PAC leader Sanjay Singh said. The National Council also decided that Council members, except district Convenors, could give their names to the party’s National Secretary for organizational work with a detailed brief about their work. The PAC will accommodate these names in committees with a PAC member as Organizing Member of the committee. A decision was taken to focus on organization-building across India, volunteer engagement and their participation in decision-making and contesting elections in different states. “Suggestion from volunteers from other states to Delhi government and their implementation was also discussed. A committee will be formed to take care of this,” he said.

Here are 10 developments in the story:

At a resort on the outskirts of Delhi, around 250 AAP leaders voted Mr Yadav, Mr Bhushan and two others, out of the party’s National Executive.

“It was murder of democracy,” said Mr Yadav, alleging that bouncers dragged his supporters out of the meeting so that Mr Kejriwal’s supporters could prevail. Mr Bhushan alleged “goondagardi (hooliganism).”

Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan did not rule out legal action, saying “all options are open.”

They openly hit out at Arvind Kejriwal. “He has displayed today that is that he is willing to use his dictatorial powers to ruthlessly stifle dissent and ruthlessly stop any discussion or opposition to what he wants,” Mr Bhushan said.

Mr Kejriwal, chief minister of Delhi, did not vote and left after making an hour-long speech in which he reportedly tore into his critics in the party. He returned later in the evening, and said in an emotional speech, “Yogendra Yadav, Prashant Bhushan tried to defeat AAP in Delhi polls. Prashant Bhushan betrayed my trust, cannot work with him. I trusted Bhushan, went to jail for 15 days.”

Hours later, activist Medha Patkar quit the party condemning the way Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan were treated. “We didn’t expect this from AAP,” she said.

AAP rubbished the allegations. “The talk about bouncers is totally false. We have signatures from 247 people, eight people voted in their favour,” said party leader Sanjay Singh.

The infighting has hit India’s newest party just after it took power in Delhi following a record poll victory.

On Friday, a secretly-taped phone conversation was leaked, in which Mr Kejriwal was heard abusing Mr Bhushan and Mr Yadav and saying, “Any other party would have thrown them out.”

Mr Yadav and Mr Bhushan claim they are being forced out of the party for demanding more transparency and internal democracy. A disciplinary committee is likely to decide on them soon.